Unpleasant reality...
07-25-2008, 03:46 PM
#26
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RE: Unpleasant reality...
ORIGINAL: Steve Campbell
LOL. You must talking about Hobby Towne in BR.
Or, it DOES get ordered, arrives, and is sold to someone else before you can get back to the shop. I ordered a buddy cord via this method yesterday. I figure its 70/30 whether or not I'll actually get the thing.
Nathan, I'm not familiar with the Mandeville shop, but Dean at Slidell Hobbies has/had a similar set-up. He's sort of an odd duck, but good to deal with once you establish a relationship with him. I haven't been back over there since Katrina, but I used to go to NO several times a month on business, and would swing by there on my way back. Bought a lot of stuff, especially fuel, from him.
Mike's place in Metairie is, as you note, another good shop. He recently bought out Mercury Hobbies and re-opened it in Hammond. But also as you said, gas prices make it prohibitive to go there just to see what they've got.
I almost asked Andy yesterday what he would charge me to get a Patty in, but decided to bag the idea for a while. I've got several other projects going, so I'll keep flying the H9 Extra for a gasser until I kill it or get bored. I have to get a bigger ride before I can go with a true 30% airplane; I'm limited now to 70" overall length. Its my turn for a new vehicle, but the wife has been making noise about wanting an Infiniti or something, so gotta keep her happy...
.
ORIGINAL: Nathan_L
... the magic pad by the register where it gets written down and never ordered. Ever.
... the magic pad by the register where it gets written down and never ordered. Ever.
Or, it DOES get ordered, arrives, and is sold to someone else before you can get back to the shop. I ordered a buddy cord via this method yesterday. I figure its 70/30 whether or not I'll actually get the thing.
Nathan, I'm not familiar with the Mandeville shop, but Dean at Slidell Hobbies has/had a similar set-up. He's sort of an odd duck, but good to deal with once you establish a relationship with him. I haven't been back over there since Katrina, but I used to go to NO several times a month on business, and would swing by there on my way back. Bought a lot of stuff, especially fuel, from him.
Mike's place in Metairie is, as you note, another good shop. He recently bought out Mercury Hobbies and re-opened it in Hammond. But also as you said, gas prices make it prohibitive to go there just to see what they've got.
I almost asked Andy yesterday what he would charge me to get a Patty in, but decided to bag the idea for a while. I've got several other projects going, so I'll keep flying the H9 Extra for a gasser until I kill it or get bored. I have to get a bigger ride before I can go with a true 30% airplane; I'm limited now to 70" overall length. Its my turn for a new vehicle, but the wife has been making noise about wanting an Infiniti or something, so gotta keep her happy...
.
The guy in Mandeville is the airplane factory or whatever and located right by the state park. He makes those duraplane planes or whatever in a little shop and has a room in an old house as a hobby shop. It's 1/10 the size of Andy's but 10x better stocked and he actually flies. When I bought my Soucy he actually had one in stock and a PW as well, so he normally keeps stuff like that in stock.
07-27-2008, 07:45 AM
#28
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RE: Unpleasant reality...
ORIGINAL: Steve Campbell
Finally got someone on the phone; she said it was all UPS's fault (they dictated the amount of the surcharge), and that it had everything to do with the SIZE of the box; not the weight. I wish I had seen this before I called.
Moot point, anyway.
Finally got someone on the phone; she said it was all UPS's fault (they dictated the amount of the surcharge), and that it had everything to do with the SIZE of the box; not the weight. I wish I had seen this before I called.
Moot point, anyway.
Have a buddy that, years ago, worked for a company that went from selling localy to selling mail order (before internet). Everything they sold had a standard shipping fee and since they were a UPS shipping point, had the ability to print lables with the "standard fee" right on it. They did give UPS that money every time a batch of orders when out but the trick is UPS calculated actual shipping cost at there warehouse and gave my firends employer a big fat check every month. To the people filling orders and the customer, it really did look like UPS was charging that to ship.
08-03-2008, 08:23 AM
#29
RE: Unpleasant reality...
ORIGINAL: Steve Campbell
I ordered a buddy cord via this method yesterday. I figure its 70/30 whether or not I'll actually get the thing.
ORIGINAL: Nathan_L
... the magic pad by the register where it gets written down and never ordered. Ever.
... the magic pad by the register where it gets written down and never ordered. Ever.
Will wonders never cease...
.
08-03-2008, 09:00 AM
#30
RE: Unpleasant reality...
Steve,
i definately owe you an apology as my latest experience with Tower has been a rediculous venture...............you are right, there is no one there that can make a change to an order, not give a straight answer.............of course their motto is "this is your hobby and it should be fun" goes only so far.............with price and replacement options are in the top of the class, the policies of changing something on ones order needs updating.
glad you got your newest addition with a lesser hassle.
i definately owe you an apology as my latest experience with Tower has been a rediculous venture...............you are right, there is no one there that can make a change to an order, not give a straight answer.............of course their motto is "this is your hobby and it should be fun" goes only so far.............with price and replacement options are in the top of the class, the policies of changing something on ones order needs updating.
glad you got your newest addition with a lesser hassle.
08-03-2008, 10:34 AM
#31
RE: Unpleasant reality...
Let me update my latest problem. And my frustration gets even worse after the whole ordeal was finished. A quick reminder here. I ordered on Friday afternoon and choose the $9.99 standard shipping. Because it was Friday I didn't expect it to ship that day, but figured it would go out on Monday. Monday came and went and the shipment still hadn't shipped. On Tuesday it finally said that my order had shipped. Now this really burned me up that it took 2 whole business days to ship out an order. Now the icing on the cake, I received the packed (standard UPS ground shipment) Thursday morning!!!! [:@] It took Tower longer to process my order and ship it than it took for UPS to deliver it. This is absolutely outrageous in my mind!!! [:@][:@][:@][:@]
Ken
Ken
08-03-2008, 10:54 AM
#32
RE: Unpleasant reality...
i got ya beat Ken,
if i place an order of over $200.00 on lets pick a day, Monday morning,and let the shipping go as normal (no charge as i am a saver member), it will ship on Monday and get to me the next day..........i'm 4 hours from their Reno WH.
if i order only $150.00 worth, it takes the full 2 days to ship, but still gets here the following day.
if i place any amount of an order and pay for 2nd day shipping (as that's what it takes sometimes to get them to ship right away), and say it ships on Monday, it will take the full 2 days to get to me.
now what really sucks is when they send to me by way of USparcel post.......takes a friggin week[:@]
Tower is great though, i had a package about 2 weeks ago that a "temp carrier" stuck in an unlocked box, and the local nieghborhood hoodlums now have some nice Eagletree gadgets that have probably been destroyed by now.
Tower sent me a new package and at my request "signature required" is the only way i'll go when my shipments are done by the Postal Bozo's..............
i do have an order for a GP Reactor Bipe (a second kit purchase) that was placed on last thursday......still hasn't shipped, and i cannot get them to change the shipping on it...........doesn't make sense
if i place an order of over $200.00 on lets pick a day, Monday morning,and let the shipping go as normal (no charge as i am a saver member), it will ship on Monday and get to me the next day..........i'm 4 hours from their Reno WH.
if i order only $150.00 worth, it takes the full 2 days to ship, but still gets here the following day.
if i place any amount of an order and pay for 2nd day shipping (as that's what it takes sometimes to get them to ship right away), and say it ships on Monday, it will take the full 2 days to get to me.
now what really sucks is when they send to me by way of USparcel post.......takes a friggin week[:@]
Tower is great though, i had a package about 2 weeks ago that a "temp carrier" stuck in an unlocked box, and the local nieghborhood hoodlums now have some nice Eagletree gadgets that have probably been destroyed by now.
Tower sent me a new package and at my request "signature required" is the only way i'll go when my shipments are done by the Postal Bozo's..............
i do have an order for a GP Reactor Bipe (a second kit purchase) that was placed on last thursday......still hasn't shipped, and i cannot get them to change the shipping on it...........doesn't make sense
]
08-03-2008, 09:13 PM
#34
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RE: Unpleasant reality...
You guys are gripeing about the cost of shipping. It costs over a $1000 to fill a semi"s tank, one tire can cost as much as 500 bucks & they can have 18 & sometimes more !!! I don't want to even think about what it costs to "top off" a UPS cargo jet.We have ALL been spoiled by our cheap gas, good old American made products,etc. Now we have $4 + a gallon gas & buy most of our hobby stuff from China. & they STILL beat our price & quality most of the time. Guess what guys, we are the workers that they are beating !!!!!
08-03-2008, 09:55 PM
#35
RE: Unpleasant reality...
ORIGINAL: outdoorhunting
You guys are gripeing about the cost of shipping. It costs over a $1000 to fill a semi"s tank, one tire can cost as much as 500 bucks & they can have 18 & sometimes more !!! I don't want to even think about what it costs to "top off" a UPS cargo jet.We have ALL been spoiled by our cheap gas, good old American made products,etc. Now we have $4 + a gallon gas & buy most of our hobby stuff from China. & they STILL beat our price & quality most of the time. Guess what guys, we are the workers that they are beating !!!!!
You guys are gripeing about the cost of shipping. It costs over a $1000 to fill a semi"s tank, one tire can cost as much as 500 bucks & they can have 18 & sometimes more !!! I don't want to even think about what it costs to "top off" a UPS cargo jet.We have ALL been spoiled by our cheap gas, good old American made products,etc. Now we have $4 + a gallon gas & buy most of our hobby stuff from China. & they STILL beat our price & quality most of the time. Guess what guys, we are the workers that they are beating !!!!!
Tower is a great place to buy from, but their over automating things the way they have is gonna hurt them.
08-04-2008, 08:04 AM
#36
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RE: Unpleasant reality...
You're probably right about that.The more automated they are the less employees they have to pay. The automated way, they don't have the problem of scheduling vacations, sick days, & the biggie the auto stuff don't have health insurance. I don't think anybody can stop it. We will have to learn to adapt & live with ih it.. We have to hold up that index finger until we "know for sure before we click" I ordered from them last Wed AM, the order came from Reno & I recieved it Fri. PM I can't gripe about that.
08-04-2008, 11:02 PM
#37
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RE: Unpleasant reality...
If you read UPS's rate information, packages that have a (2xlength)+(2xwidth)>130 inches get nailed with some pretty significant fees. Now, I'm sure Tower has some negotiated rates that are lower than the retail rates I'm looking at, but with retail rates, there's a $45 large package charge, plus an $8 additional handling fee, and oh yeah, large packages are automatically considered to weigh 90 pounds for shipping rates. I don't think it's real surprising Tower passes along the extra fees. Fedex does the same type of thing, but I don't know if it's based on the same size or something similar in size.
08-05-2008, 07:50 AM
#38
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RE: Unpleasant reality...
Ya know, with the shipping seeming to go "over the top", it makes my LHS look more attractive every day. Although my LHS is close to 50 miles away.
08-05-2008, 03:50 PM
#39
RE: Unpleasant reality...
Well guys i gotta eat Crow on this one now.....got an email from "jas" at Tower yesterday............
>"Dear Tower Hobbies Customer,
Thank you for contacting Tower Hobbies.
We have made the change to your order for 2 day service, however keep
in mind that when the package is held up at the manifest for the change
it may delay it by a day or so. That is why we suggested not making the
changes to the order in our previous email.
We appreciate your time and your business with us."<
how's that for great customer service.........my order will be delivered tomorrow..................kinda hard to say anything bad about Tower when they go all out like this, and they didn't even charge me for the shipping upgrade.
so i'm not gonna have to drive across town (40 minutes)to the LHS (hobbytoyUSA) after all.[8D]
>"Dear Tower Hobbies Customer,
Thank you for contacting Tower Hobbies.
We have made the change to your order for 2 day service, however keep
in mind that when the package is held up at the manifest for the change
it may delay it by a day or so. That is why we suggested not making the
changes to the order in our previous email.
We appreciate your time and your business with us."<
how's that for great customer service.........my order will be delivered tomorrow..................kinda hard to say anything bad about Tower when they go all out like this, and they didn't even charge me for the shipping upgrade.
so i'm not gonna have to drive across town (40 minutes)to the LHS (hobbytoyUSA) after all.[8D]
08-05-2008, 09:06 PM
#40
RE: Unpleasant reality...
ORIGINAL: Steve Campbell
I have been a loyal customer of Tower Hobbies for 22 years; so I'll "shoot my mouth off" if I feel like it. I never said Tower was a rip-off company; but I'm starting to lean in that direction now.
I HAVE thought about. Either Tower is trying to make something off the shipping, or they aren't trying hard enough to get reasonable "extra" shipping prices for their customers.
I'm glad that you're so smart (and have the time) to break an order up into four parts, etc.
I guess I'm just a simple dummy who declines to get raped without benefit of lubrication.
.
I have been a loyal customer of Tower Hobbies for 22 years; so I'll "shoot my mouth off" if I feel like it. I never said Tower was a rip-off company; but I'm starting to lean in that direction now.
I HAVE thought about. Either Tower is trying to make something off the shipping, or they aren't trying hard enough to get reasonable "extra" shipping prices for their customers.
I'm glad that you're so smart (and have the time) to break an order up into four parts, etc.
I guess I'm just a simple dummy who declines to get raped without benefit of lubrication.
.
"I guess I'm just a simple dummy who declines to get raped without benefit of lubrication."
Dave Rigotti
08-08-2008, 05:31 PM
#41
RE: Unpleasant reality...
ate my words real good as of wednsday............Tower got my stuff to me and did not charge me for the 2nd day delivery.
one thing i have learned over this past year though, is that Part Warnick will make every effort to make you happy.
one thing i have learned over this past year though, is that Part Warnick will make every effort to make you happy.
08-08-2008, 09:07 PM
#42
RE: Unpleasant reality...
ORIGINAL: rcguy!
Classic Steve all the way!
"I guess I'm just a simple dummy who declines to get raped without benefit of lubrication."
Dave Rigotti
Classic Steve all the way!
"I guess I'm just a simple dummy who declines to get raped without benefit of lubrication."
Dave Rigotti
You lost? This ain't the jet forum!
Sorry I missed you when I was up there last month. Give Russ a kiss for me...
.
08-12-2008, 11:48 AM
#43
RE: Unpleasant reality...
ORIGINAL: Steve Campbell
Hey, dude.
You lost? This ain't the jet forum!
Sorry I missed you when I was up there last month. Give Russ a kiss for me...
.
ORIGINAL: rcguy!
Classic Steve all the way!
"I guess I'm just a simple dummy who declines to get raped without benefit of lubrication."
Dave Rigotti
Classic Steve all the way!
"I guess I'm just a simple dummy who declines to get raped without benefit of lubrication."
Dave Rigotti
You lost? This ain't the jet forum!
Sorry I missed you when I was up there last month. Give Russ a kiss for me...
.
Me too buddy.
Dave
03-01-2010, 03:31 AM
#44
Senior Member
RE: Unpleasant reality...
Hey Guys, about the Mandeville Shop, I remember that it was a great place to do business with. It was owned and operated by a man and his wife, a really nice couple. We met them when they visited with us at our strip one weekend while they were in our area.
Several of us placed orders with them from time to time. Usually one member would let the rest know he was getting an order together, and one of more of us would add some items we needed, so they usually got a nice order from us, which came in with no charges. Unfortunately our Club faded into the sunset. Just before all flying ceased at the strip, I remember hearing that the Mandeville couple were either going to sell out of just close up. I don't know if they are still there or not. Probably not, for as always, the best of things just fade away.
A footrnote: While reading of the problems you guys were having with Price Increases and shipping problems lately I got to thinking that I should probably just go back to building from my own plans like I did when I first started in RC. But then it hit me...IF THIS KEEPS UP WHERE THE SAM HILL AM I GOING TO GET THE BALSA AND FITTINGS I'M GONNA NEED TO SCRATCH BUILD WITH? Dang it all... Grampaw
Several of us placed orders with them from time to time. Usually one member would let the rest know he was getting an order together, and one of more of us would add some items we needed, so they usually got a nice order from us, which came in with no charges. Unfortunately our Club faded into the sunset. Just before all flying ceased at the strip, I remember hearing that the Mandeville couple were either going to sell out of just close up. I don't know if they are still there or not. Probably not, for as always, the best of things just fade away.
A footrnote: While reading of the problems you guys were having with Price Increases and shipping problems lately I got to thinking that I should probably just go back to building from my own plans like I did when I first started in RC. But then it hit me...IF THIS KEEPS UP WHERE THE SAM HILL AM I GOING TO GET THE BALSA AND FITTINGS I'M GONNA NEED TO SCRATCH BUILD WITH? Dang it all... Grampaw
03-08-2010, 06:11 AM
#45
RE: Unpleasant reality...
Grampaw,
Check Balsa USA or Lone Star (they are back in business after the fire). Sounds like I can just about build one before y'all get your store bought planes. More pride in mine too.
Bill, Waco Brother #1
Check Balsa USA or Lone Star (they are back in business after the fire). Sounds like I can just about build one before y'all get your store bought planes. More pride in mine too.
Bill, Waco Brother #1
03-08-2010, 08:50 AM
#46
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RE: Unpleasant reality...
AND we don't have to worry about getting ripped off by some ding-dong internet reataler!!! I'll admitt, it probably hurts a little more when we "put one in", but maybe not.
05-28-2010, 07:46 PM
#47
RE: Unpleasant reality...
Okay, guys... I've been out of the hobby for over a year. Fixing to get back to building and flying, though.
What's the word on The Empire? Customer service still gooned up? Prices still reasonable, or out of the box?
I gotta buy some new batteries and assorted perishable goodies to get back up to speed...
.
What's the word on The Empire? Customer service still gooned up? Prices still reasonable, or out of the box?
I gotta buy some new batteries and assorted perishable goodies to get back up to speed...
.
05-28-2010, 08:11 PM
#48
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RE: Unpleasant reality...
ORIGINAL: skyraider71
What's sad is I'm a U.P.S. employee, and I don't get a break on shipping!
What's sad is I'm a U.P.S. employee, and I don't get a break on shipping!
